Think you’ve seen all there is to see? Think again! 
New attractions for 2008:

This spring, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay presents its newest adventure, Jungala, a four-acre wildlife attraction set in the heart of the Congo. As the most ambitious enhancement to date, Jungala allows guests to discover exotic animals, explore a hidden village, monkey-around on a play area or zoom down the new zip-line experience over orangutans and Bengal tigers.

SeaWorld Orlando’s Aquatica is making a splash in March. This brand new 60-acre water park submerges guests in up-close animal experiences, high speed thrills and sandy beaches. Aquatica features 36 winding and twisting water slides, six relaxing rivers and luxurious lagoons and more than 80,000 square-feet of bountiful beach area.

And much more - read the full article and readers comments here 
RoTi Florida section       Permalink

“Ecotourism isn’t just a buzzword in California, it’s a way of life,” says the California Travel and Tourism Commission. “Travelers from around the world visit California in part because of its inherent natural beauty. By educating them about ways to minimize their impact on the state’s pristine environment, we help sustain California’s rugged terrain, scenic landscapes and picturesque coasts for generations to come.”

Although many will celebrate Earth Day April 22, visitors to California can go green every day of the year.

• Santa Barbara - www.GreenSantaBarbara.com, a web site that allows visitors to learn about global environmental issues while experiencing the greener side of Santa Barbara. The site features self-guided tours and information about all things green, including architecture, art, transportation, sustainable agriculture, biodynamically grown wines, recycling, nature preserves and ecotourism activities, green hotels and itineraries.
• The Pacific Wheel at Pacific Park in Santa Monica is generating more than one kind of energy. Visitors help to alleviate air and water pollution from traditional fossil fuels by riding the world’s first-ever solar-powered Ferris wheel. Unveiled in 1998, the Pacific Wheel soars 130 feet above the Pacific Ocean while generating more than 71,000 kilowatt hours of renewable photovoltaic power from the sun’s rays. 
• At COPIA: The American Center for Food, Wine and the Arts in Napa, travelers have an indirect impact on the environment at the center’s restaurant and in their food programs, simply because the center composts their waste and puts it back into their 3.5 acres of organic gardens. Visitors can learn firsthand about ecotourism while aboard a special cruise that explores the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, one of Santa Cruz’s most exquisite points of interest and an underwater world rich in biological resources. Starting this month, Pacific Life Tours will offer the ecotourism trips aboard a 70-foot yacht, where passengers will learn about Monterey Bay’s kelp forest ecosystem, adaptations for animals living in the ocean and human effects on the sea. 
• Visitors to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, two recently purchased buses now use biodiesel fuel, which is a domestic, renewable fuel derived from natural oils, such as soybean oil. The Tramway’s other diesel buses have been converted to biodiesel fuel, including back-up engines, tractors and generators.

And much more - read the full article and readers comments here 
RoTi California section       Permalink

A Museum of the Cultural and Natural History of the Upper Mojave Desert Ridgecrest, California

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RoTi California section

According to an article in the Arizona Republic by Art Thomason "2008 will offer an explosion of big-name entertainers scheduled to take the stage January through March at more than a half-dozen RV resorts in the Southeast Valley" (Phoenix area.)

Artists include the Smothers Brothers, Ricky Skaggs, Tanya Tucker, and in the past they've had artists like Frankie Avalon and Brenda Lee. According to the article they've already booked for 2009 and are looking at 2010.

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RoTi Arizona section

Whether they're heli-skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, dog sledding, ice fishing, ice climbing, cross-country skiing, ice skating, ice carving, snowshoeing or skijoring, travelers will find Alaskans outside - and loving it! Winter enthusiasts can plan an action-packed itinerary on www.travelalaska.com.

 Northern Lights Viewing Can’t be Beat in Interior Alaska
By Melissa DeVaughn (Courtesy ATIA)

When my husband was a boy growing up in Denali National Park, he used to be spooked by the aurora borealis, those mysterious-looking lights that fill the northern skies like paint over a canvas. When the soft glow of lights would begin to flicker across the sky, fading in and out of focus in greens, pinks and whites, he swore they were specters. In fact, no matter how much his parents tried to explain to him, he thought they were shadowy ghosts, hovering above in the darkness. 

"More than 300 golf courses located throughout this amazing state"

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RoTi Arizona section

The fast-paced lifestyle and modern-day attractions entice many visitors to venture to the shores of Florida. But for those looking for a blast to the past, the Sunshine State has some hidden treasures that are reminiscent of a time when saddle shoes were the grooviest thing, rock and roll was in its infancy and a gallon of gas was only 27 cents